


Hope there is light at the end

by Itzmitzin_09



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt, Fluff and Angst, Hurt, Hurt Avengers, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Wanda Maximoff, Kid Wanda Maximoff, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker and Wanda Maximoff are the kids, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape/Non-con Elements, Wanda Maximoff & Peter Parker Friendship, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug, lots of flashbacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-08-10 23:15:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20143597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itzmitzin_09/pseuds/Itzmitzin_09
Summary: Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker are the kids. The whole avengers treat them as if they were their own.What happens when, after a nice family day the kids go missing.What happens when Hydra captures the youngest avengers, with one goal at hand: break them.Wanda and Peter go to hell, but at least they are together... right?Every day that passes and they are still in with hydra they start losing hope.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey :)  
I'm new at writing and well I tried giving this a shot. 
> 
> This first chapter is mostly fluff before I go downhill with angst. Basically, try and give them some happy moments while they can.  
For this chapter, I got inspired by many, MANY, trip stories and I added my own twist. 
> 
> Hope you like

Wanda knew that telling the team about her age was going to bring consequences. 

She knew they would freak out and try to make everything right, as the righteous heroes that they are. It was a mistake she had made and now she was regretting it completely. And no, she wasn’t being melodramatic or that was what Clint had called her. ‘It is simply a school trip Wanda, you’ve been through worse. I think you can handle this trip. Plus Peter will be by your side the whole time. I mean, this place you are going, can’t possibly be so bad’.

Yeah right, that wasn’t comforting at all. Peter was dreading the school trip almost as much as she was. 

The night she had told the avengers she was just a teenager (16 when they fought Ultron), was a time she regretted because of all the changes that had come because of it: the constant pity looks they sent her way,trying to have a normal teenage life and the protecting her in every mission although they knew she was powerful enough to do it herself. But she also loved it: had it not been for their insistence on enrolling her at a high school with kids her age she wouldn’t have met Peter and the avengers wouldn’t have met spider-man. Spider-man wouldn’t be part of the team. 

Plus, now she had a family, a real family ever since her parents, her brother and her city died. She was even legally adopted by the Bartons (mostly for appearances at school) and became a daughter to the whole team. And when she introduced them to Peter, well, he as well became a son to them and a brother to Wanda.

However, right now, she was dying because of that decision. Normally she didn’t mind school activities. She even started to enjoy being with kids her age, she started to feel normal. The only problem with this situation was that the school trip was going to be to visit the Avenger’s tower. 

The Avenger’s tower! It was her home. She lived there almost every day of the week because it was closer to school than the Barton’s farmhouse. And that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was that all the Avengers were going to be there.

* * *

1 week earlier 

It was late. Almost time for school to finish. They were in history class, one of the many classes they shared, all four of them (MJ, Ned, Peter, and Wanda). Today Peter was particularly bored in class. So he started sending texts to Ned who ignore them, next he tried sending a text to Wanda, who simply smiled at him. For a split second, she let her magic show and a tickling sensation let Peter know that her heads were linked together. Her eyes barely glowing red.

_‘Thank god. This class is killing me’_

_‘You know, for a big nerd like you, you really don’t pay much attention to class’_ Her voice, or more like her thoughts, were even more heavily accented than when she used her voice. 

_‘But it’s history!’_

_‘Hey! I love history, don’t you dare say it’s boring’_ she threatened. Peter let a small laugh out, however, he quickly suppressed it because half of the class looked at him. Which led to Wanda giggling in her place.

_‘Well, for someone who loves the subject you sure are paying a lot of attention’_

_‘Unlike you spider-man. I can do two things at once’_ To this, Peter had to look back at her from his place (at the front row of the class because he was that nerd) to make an exaggerated hurt expression show through his face. 

They kept talking through the link, talking about nothing at all. Even planing what they were going to do once they got to the tower. 

_‘I think I want to train a little after I finish my homework. Wanna join me, Wanda?’_

_‘Pass’_ she responded way too quickly.

_‘What? The Scarlet Witch is scared of a little fight?’_ He giggled, which earned him a disapproving look from his professor. 

_‘Hell yes, I am!’_

Peter’s thoughts froze for a moment. _‘I wasn’t expecting you to actually be scared’_ he declared.

_‘Do you know who is in charge of training today?’_

_‘No…’_

_‘Well, let me enlighten you’_ she quickly searched in her mind for the schedule (that Steve had forced everyone to use) of the training sessions and shared the memory with Peter. It read Natasha all weak long. Peter’s face fell to the floor. And of course, Wanda hadn’t resisted the barks of laughter that escaped her mouth. She got detention for a week, but it was so worth it. 

Just as the bell rang, declaring their freedom from school, the professor spoke up catching their attention.

“I almost forgot. The field trip is next week and I am happy to announce that this year trip is going to be to the Avenger’s tower!” Cheers and screams of joy announced the happiness of the whole classroom, except for three persons. Ned (who was in the secret to both Peter’s and Wanda’s) was laughing his ass off in front of the young avengers and Wanda and Peter who seemed as if they were going to fall unconscious at any moment. 

For the rest of the week, they tried to avoid talking about the field trip with everyone in the tower. They even tried getting them away from the tower for the day of the field trip. At one point they were even plotting a big explosion outside the city to drag them out but quickly dismissed it as they knew it would only take them moments before they returned and figured out they were behind it. 

The most difficult part was keeping it from Natasha and surprisingly from Laura, Wanda was basically (and legally) her daughter and the woman loved hearing everything about Wanda’s day. Eventually, she slipped up and told her about the trip. 

Laura laughed her ass off because the girl was genuinely scared of the trip and promised to tell nothing to Clint. Even Peter and Ned laughed when Wanda shared the memory.

* * *

“Okay kids, we are here. Remember do not leave the group and do not distract the people that are working” 

Everyone got up their seats quickly and started descending the bus. Eagerly grouping at the door of the tower. Wanda, Peter, Ned, and MJ, however, took their time. MJ was simply not as excited as the rest of the class.

“What’s up Penis Parker? Scared your fake Stark internship crap will be revealed?”

“I swear to god Flash, if you keep talking like that I’ll kick your ass” Wanda snapped.

“And I’ll help her,” said MJ to everyone’s surprise. Which she sensed so she continued “What? I wouldn’t give up the opportunity to kick Flash’s ass” Everyone nodded in understanding. She left the bus, passing beside a surprised Flash who followed. 

“It’ll be alright. How bad can it be?” Ned had been laughing all week long because of the unfortunate of his friends but now he seemed to be trying to help them.

Peter stared incredulously for a moment and then opened his mouth “You know when parents and uncles humiliate the kids of the family in front of their friends just because they are the parents. Yeah, well…” 

“There is a tower full of avengers who consider us the kids of the team who won’t pass on the opportunity“ Wanda finished

Ned thought for a moment before starting to walk off the bus “Well, you ARE kids” 

Reluctantly they walked towards the front door of the tower. 

* * *

In a van, across the street two men were looking through the monitors and surveillance devices they had planted through the whole street, while a third man spied the group of kids with his binoculars, typing in his tablet. 

Target located.

* * *

So far the trip had been nice, but it has barely been an hour and they were yet to reach the places where the avengers may be.

There was a schedule (again, courtesy of Captain America) that showed when there were tours programmed for the tower (since it wasn’t unheard of the tower being a touristic place, because of the popularity of the avengers). Normally, the avengers tried to avoid being in the tower or at least they avoided being in the places where the tours tased by. Well, everyone but Sam and Bucky who loved hanging around, especially when there where children involved. And that, thought Peter, was going to be their downfall. 

“Are we going to see an Avenger?” The voice pitched through the sound of everyone’s else’s chatter, effectively getting the attention of the tour guide. 

“I don’t think any of the avengers are-“

“But of course you’ll get to see an Avenger, what kind of visit would it be if you didn’t” Right across the room appeared Sam with his arms wide open walking towards the children and behind him came Bucky. Unlike Sam, Bucky had his hands tucked in his jacket, nonetheless, he smiled warmly at the children. 

_‘And we’re screwed’_ Peter thought to Wanda as she just set a mental link with him. 

_‘If we stay at the back of the group maybe they won’t see us’_ She thought hopefully before the tour guide had to ruin everything. 

“C’ mon kids, let’s gather around. Take a picture with them. Maybe, if they have the time” The guide looked at Sam and Bucky “We can ask them some questions afterward”

Bucky nodded in agreement

“Perfect. Now gather around”

“Peter! Hurry!” The professor called out for him as he tried to avoid being seen by either of the heroes. 

Sam frowned for a second before looking at the boy who was being called at. When he saw it was indeed, the Peter he knew he grinned and elbowed Bucky to look. 

“PETER!” Bucky shouted. Breaking free of his photo position and going towards the boy. 

_‘Help!’_ Peter squished in his mind.

_‘Nope, you’re on your own’_ Wanda answered as she took a step back and accidentally tripped on Ned’s feet and fell to the floor. Almost on instinct, Sam ran to help whoever had just fallen. To his surprise, he extended his hand to no other than Wanda Maximoff. 

_‘Fuck!’_ She hissed in her mind 

_‘That’s called sweet karma’_

Sam half hugged Wanda, holding her tight making it unable to run away from him (unless she used her powers, which she wouldn’t because, well everyone around). He then walked back to the middle of the class ready for the picture, still holding Wanda in her grace. While Bucky grabbed Peter in the same uncomfortable position.

Just after the photo was taken Sam excused himself momentarily, which led to several disappointed gasps from the class.

* * *

When he was far away from the class he called for Friday.

“Hey, Friday”

“Yes, Mr. Wilson” Fridays voice came out of nowhere yet sounding everywhere. 

“Can you inform the rest of the avengers they have to come to see the tour group that is visiting today” Sam smiled at himself.

After a few moments of silence, Friday spoke again. “Mr. Wilson, it appears all of the avengers have important things to do today. They are all in a meeting.”

“Well tell them to stop. You know what, just.. can you FaceTime them”

“Certainly Mr. Wilson”

A screen lit up in front of him, showing the looks of the annoyed avengers in the conference room. 

“What is it Sam, we are in the middle of something,” Said Tony, not trying to hide his exasperation, waving around showing the whole team in the conference room. 

“Well now you’re not”

“We can’t just drop everything, as much as we would like to-“

Sam cut him off before he could continue “Sooo, Clint,” The archer looked up from the table meeting Sam’s gaze “you remember how Wanda and Peter mentioned going on a field trip today?” Clint nodded as a response. “Were you ever gonna tell us where the trip was going to be?”

“I mean I would, but Wanda never mentioned it, I think she told Laura but they never told me… Wait a second”

“You are kidding” Tony looked at them in awe, dropping any sign of annoyance he has had.

Sam was desperately nodding his head while holding his laughter back. 

“Poor kids” whispered Nat as she too realized what was about to happen.

“So that’s why they didn’t want to go on the trip” 

“Okay, so we’re going. Don’t let them run” Tony said finally ending the video.

Sam didn’t resist any longer and burst out laughing. He had to take a few moments before he composed himself to walk back to the group.

* * *

As he entered back he was greeted by a lot of screaming teenagers and the beautiful sight of Bucky, still, holding Peter under his arm. However, he lost sight of Wanda. 

Bucky was answering some questions when he looked up to see Sam smiling mischievously. Bucky too smiled. 

“Okay, so change of plans” He announced as he walked closer to the group and Bucky. “ We are changing your tour guide” Most of the children looked confused, except for Peter who was trying hard to get out.

“I’m going to be your new tour guide” It was Tony who spoke, getting out of an elevator. Earning a lot of screams. 

Peter’s face dropped. 

_‘Get back here you coward’_ Peter shout in his mind.

_‘Nah, I think I’m good thanks’_ Wanda answered from wherever the hell she was. Not even Peter knew, which was odd because he was linked to her mind. 

Peter looked at Tony taking pictures with everyone in the room while slowly approaching Peter, messing his hair when he reached him.

_‘So much for not letting me die alone’_

_‘Don’t be such a baby’_

_‘I’m not the one hiding from the group’_

“Peter Parker” Tony called, standing next to Bucky who let go of the embrace. “My favorite intern. How are you?” He asked. Flash stood there. Mind blown. Looking how Tony freaking Stark talked to Parker. 

“Good, Mr. Stark” his voice was barely a whisper and his face was red with embarrassment.

“What was that?” He said, putting a hand around his ear. His smile only grew bigger and Peters face turned even redder. “And…” He looked around searching for Wanda and then looking to Sam. Sam only shrugged his shoulders “Where is that friend of yours… the one you bring along with you sometimes“ he started walking around the group, holding Peter in a half hug. “What’s, her name?” He frowned, pretending to hit his head to remember (of course he knew Wanda, but since Wanda didn’t pretend to have a Stark internship like Peter, he had to pretend didn’t know her) “Oh, yes: Wanda!” He threw his arm in the air declaring his victory.

Almost on cue. Clint entered the room holding a very embarrassed Wanda by the shoulders. “I think you are missing one kid” he declared to the professor, who started to apologize. 

_‘Ha, you couldn’t hide THAT well. Where were you anyway?’_

Wanda looked down before answering _‘My bedroom’_ she declared

Peter couldn’t hold back his laughter and completely forgot all his embarrassment for a moment. Meanwhile, Tony (who of course, couldn’t hear what the teens were talking about) looked at Peter, unsure on either wanting to run away or call an exorcist. 

As promised Tony gave the rest of the tour through the Avengers Tower. Occasionally bumping into Steve and Natasha, the latter looked sympathetically at the youngest avengers whose face was now permanently colored red. Although, Nat couldn’t resist breaking a smile when the tour went down to the practice level and Sam had offered to ‘spare’ with a person in the group. 

The lucky person ended up being Wanda, to Peter’s relieve. 

_‘I think this is payback from last week, when you convinced me to make the Falcon suit fly all over the tower by itself’_ To which Peter agreed, smiling at the memory of Sam being completely clueless as to why his suit suddenly came to life. His reaction was priceless, once he saw the scarlet sparks that surrounded the suit. 

_‘Worth it’_ thought Peter, as Wanda was thrown in the mattress, falling ungracefully on her back. 

The whole class, Ned included, were taking photos and pictures of the ‘fight’. Sam, of course, was showing off, making some exaggerated moves, whereas Wanda couldn’t use her magic, so she just tried avoiding as much falling as she could. 

When lunchtime came around all the kids were taken outside the building, to the backyard. Everyone took out their lunches and started eating. Everyone scattered around the tables that were set up along the yard, making small chats among themselves, discussing all the events that had happened during the day while eating their lunches. 

MJ, Ned, Wanda, and Peter sat in a corner. Ned and MJ took out their lunches while Peter and Wanda just talked and watched them eat. 

“Didn’t you two dorks bring lunch?” And MJ had to point out the obvious.

“That was the one thing the professor reminded us to bring all week long” complemented Ned.

“Yeah, it’s just that I got out of the house in a hurry today. Didn’t have much time to prepare lunch”

“Same”

Technically, it wasn’t a lie. They were in such a hurry to leave the tower (in which Peter had spent the night —declaring a late-night experiment with Tony to his aunt—) they completely forgot to prepare lunch. It would’ve been okay, had it not been because Steve overheard them, and being the overprotective uncle he is, he offered them to prepare them lunch. It quickly escalated to the whole avengers ranging down to the whole class, why it is important to eat all their meals. It was quite a talk, were Peter and Wanda had the leading role.

Needles to say, the rest of the day went by in similar motion as it did in the first half of it. 

When the day was finally over both Peter and Wanda were equally grateful. They left the tower, trying to scape the avengers, who were still laughing and mocking them. It had been a nightmare. But oh boy, did they prefer this nightmare to the one that was to come. 


	2. Hail Hydra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!  
Thank you so much for your kind comments, it made my day and it is inspiring in so many ways, that truly... thanks.  
:)
> 
> I also noticed I made a mistake, marked the story as a 1 chapter only but I've changed it. Thanks to everyone who told me. 
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter than the last one, but it will help set the tone for the chapters to be.  
Any kind of criticism is welcomed. Hope you enjoy.

He woke up. 

His head was bouncing and his body was sore. His senses where on the roof constantly warning him that there was danger all around, but his mind wasn’t all aware of what was happening. His eyes were met by a dazzling white light, making it impossible to see anything. It took a while for him to truly get on with where he was. 

The first thing Peter noticed was the black metal walls surrounding him, except for the one behind him, he turned to see a glass wall. The glass was connected to yet another room exactly like his. It took him longer than he’d like to admit to noticing anything happening in the room next to his. A red-haired girl, no, Wanda. He noticed how she chained completely to the floor. She was gazing at the man in front of her. Who was this man, was a mystery to Peter. And why he wasn’t chained like Wanda, again, a mystery all by itself. 

Then he remembered. They had gone to the park, they were laughing and then some men came out of nowhere and everywhere, managed to knock Wanda out and then knocked him cold. Shit! He thought. His mind raced, it was almost as if his body entered autopilot as he had no control over his actions. He was on his feet, punching the glass trying to reach the girl in the other room, or at least, trying to get her to notice him. 

Of course, due to all the commotion and since his senses were failing him he forgot that he was most likely to being monitored. And that the men that caught them, were more than likely going to notice what he was doing. 

The door flew open with men pointing guns at him. 

“Stand down, boy. Final warning” Said a voice. Although he couldn’t point which man had talked. Not that it mattered, he sprung into action right away. Kicking the man closest to him and using him as a shield. The man dropped to the ground as he continued to jump across the room taking down as many men as he could.

Had it not been for the collar he failed to notice, he could have gotten out of the room and into Wanda’s. The collar shocked him, putting him through unspeakable pain. He let go of the man he was holding and dropped in the floor, pulling the collar, only to spread the shock to his hands and tense his body even further. 

Sweat darkness started to come upon him, slowly nullifying all the pain, covering him like a nice blanket.

* * *

Wanda woke up to the touch of coldness beneath her. Her body felt weak and her head was pounding. She tried standing, only to be met by that blood-curling familiar sensation on her hands and feet, wrapped around cold, heavy metal chains. And that was the moment she knew. They had her. Again.

Her breathing started to intensify.

She stood letting her bare feet touch the floor. Her hands desperately pushing against the chains. 

A man, of tall complexion, entered the room. He seemed different, compared to every other Hydra agent in the room. His hand was toying with a remote control. She followed his every move with her gaze, letting him stand mere feet across from her. 

“Hello Wanda, nice to see you again” His voice, she had heard that voice before. Somewhere, she had… No! It can’t be. Not you.

She let fear take the best out of her. She knew Hydra. She had been their prisoner before, she knew she should not step out of line, not defy them. But his voice triggered all the anger inside her, all the fear and regret and pain, it was all because of him; he was the one who experimented with them (Pietro and herself), he was the one who recruited them in the first place, he made her a monster…he was supposed to be dead. So she ran, she ran towards him, as fast and as far as the chains let her. Letting her head slam against his and punching him with as much force she had left. 

She failed to notice that beside her room Peter was entangled in a similar situation as hers. Maybe, if they had worked together this once, they would have gotten out of there.

She let red sparkles tangle through her fingers, throwing them towards him, slamming him to the wall with all her will. She tried walking towards him but the chains hold her back, her magic stopped abruptly as the chains started to heat and her wrists and ankles pained with burn. 

The metal in the chains was red hot, and her wrist and ankles tangled through them struggling to get out, hopelessly.

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you comfortable? I made sure the chains were top of the line!” His voice, again. His voice brought memories of broken bones, needles and scars, cold rooms and shock collars. But she ignored them, she couldn’t be weak, not know. 

He sounded unmoved like he hadn’t just been thrown to the wall. The pain stopped. She took her gaze away from her hands, into the voice in front of him. The only recognition of any pain she had inflicted was a single street of blood pouring down his face. 

“How?” Was al she could mutter out. The man simply sneered. 

“How what, dear?” He asked. She kept her gaze on him, tears drowning her eyes, though she refused to let them flow freely. She was not going to show them weakness, especially not him. Not again. Not ever. She knew better now. She was better, and she was not going to let him take everything away from her… again. 

He looked back at her, his grin grew wider. And his voice was full of joy. The joy of having her back at his mercy and of seeing her suffer, after everything she did the last time he’d seen her. 

For a moment she let her gaze drop if only to compose herself. Not to let him see she was afraid. 

She looked around. Next to her, in another room. There was someone else, there was… Fuck, it was Peter. 

Her eyes, once more, filled with terror, however this time it wasn’t for her she was afraid, but for him. She could handle Hydra, she’d been through this shit. She didn’t want Peter to go through it as well. Though she regretted letting it show, as the man in front of her caught up on it. He pressed the control and the pain that hadn’t yet left her, intensified. 

She let her powers take over, sending him flying once more. Braking the chains. But it was too much, too much pain and energy. Even if she tried fighting, she would’ve lost. And it would only come to be even more painful for them in the future. 

A group of agents entered the room, she couldn’t fight them, so she let them hit, kick and throw her through the room as they pleased. The world around her moved, but she couldn’t grasp it, it pained too much.

They placed the shackles back on. Letting her rest in a pond of her blood. Still, she looked up at them, her gaze half gone, starting to let darkness sweep through her body “That’s all you got?”. And she fell unconscious, with one single thought in mind: Peter. 

* * *

The avengers were enjoying the day. Everything about that day had been perfect, what was there not to smile about. Peter’s and Wanda’s class had come to visit the tower and oh, boy, did they have some fun.

It was almost midnight, yet the kids were not home yet. All of the avengers were sitting in the common area, TV on in some cartoon show, dinner was on the table half eaten and Sam, Steve, and Bucky on the couches half asleep. Natasha, Tony, and Clint were still wide awake, thanks to the spy training and Tony’s refusal to let the kids in peace for the day.

“Okay, I’m calling it. The moment those kids get back, they are so grounded. How dare they! It’s almost midnight!” He touched his chest with fake exasperation. 

All three of them let a soft chuckle. 

“Yeah” Clint agreed

“Maybe they stayed at Peter’s. Though I’d think they could have called us by now. I’m calling them.” Natasha stood from the couch and walked to pick her phone.

Both Peter’s and Wanda’s phone rang. No one answered. She decided to call May— they had made sure to introduce Wanda as a friend and Clint and Natasha as her father and aunt respectively, so they could maintain their civilian facade, let them have as much of a normal life as they could— she answered at the second ring. 

“Peter! Is that you? I’ve been worried sick? Where are you? Are you still at the stark internship thing? You could have called me young man! I’m-“ May continued to babble, but Nat stopped listening. All color drained from her face, to which Clint quickly caught up. He stood behind her, almost as if expecting her to drop at any second, it couldn’t be good if she was in this state. It was Nat we are talking about.

“Peter?” A pause.

All peace that existed in the avengers' tower died with that phone call. Needless to say, it hadn’t ended well, with Tony freaking out and accidentally revealing Peter’s spider-man identity to his aunt. Now, she was storming in the avengers' tower as a complete mess, figuring where on earth was her nephew. 

The tower was chaos and nobody knew what to do or what to think. If anything the one person keeping it together, for the time being, was Nat, and even her was uncharacteristically motionless.

Tony hacked into the surveillance footage from that afternoon, just after they left the tower, followed them until they got to the park. 

The camera didn’t have an audio of the things happening in the park and that came to be incredibly frustrating for everyone.

The time marked 19: 47 when they arrived at the park. They were laughing about something and eating some hot dogs.

The footage showed how hey sat at one of the benches nearest to a food truck. Wanda was notably blushing, which they attributed to the trip they had. Peter on the other hand, although blushing, was making fun of the girl.

“Isn’t that park disturbingly alone for a Friday afternoon?” 

Nat agreed. It was a Friday afternoon, and it was barely dark, so they supposed more children would go out and play. Or even have more people apart from them and the food truck. 

Wanda and Peter continued to talk for several minutes. Peter even showed off showing Wanda new tricks he had learned in a youtube video, which May knew about because she had seen him practice nights before. 

Then out of the food truck, came a single shot. It pierced through Wanda's neck. Small fragments of scarlet came out from her hands, but they quickly vanished with the girl falling over. Peter, thanks to his incredibly enhanced reactions, caught her before she hit the floor. He saw men coming out of trees and bushes. 

His immediate reaction was trying to flee, but he was surrounded. He gently placed the girl on the floor and started attacking the men around him. He was quick to disarm the first ones, who he took by surprise, but the ones that followed opened fire. 

Nat looked at how the boy’s face seemed scared, yet, it wasn’t noticeable except if you were truly looking or were a trained assassin like herself.

“Peter left his web-shooters here,” Everyone was thinking by this point why he hadn’t already gotten himself out of the situation or at least helped himself shooting someone. And as if reading their minds, Tony answered. “I told him we would work on them when he got back”

May's face was unreadable. It was a roller coaster of emotions, a lot of information, all at once. 

Peter continued to fight and even managed to get the upper hand when behind him, a man Peter probably didn’t see stuck a needle to his neck. And like that, he fell to the floor. 

Afterward, the men discussed something and dragged Wanda and Peter to the truck. More vans came, where the rest of the men got inside. Following the truck that at plain sight looked unsuspicious. The perfect cover indeed. 

All of the cars went out of sight. Tony tried following through cameras, but after a few turns, he lost them.

“Tony, where the hell are the kids?” Clint shouted, rapidly approaching the older man. 

“I’m trying to follow the cameras, they just seem to disappear” His hands moved erratically through the keyboard. 

“Cars just don’t disappear”

“Was it just me or did it seem that they didn’t intend on taking Peter with them. It was a last-minute decision” 

“Yeah, I agree with Sam. They were after Wanda”

“Nobody knows Wanda is the Scarlet Witch apart from us, who the hell would want to take her? Hell! She is a normal teenager to the rest of the world” To this, May let out a gasp in shock. I met the Scarlet Witch? Wait, I’ve cooked for the Scarlet Witch and — No, focus. This is not the time.

At that moment Nat had a realization and it seemed as if Steve just had the same one because both their faces dropped and their voices were ice cold “No, we’re not the only ones that now”

“What do you mean Rogers?”

“Hydra” Was the simple explanation Nat supplied. How could they forget that it had taken them over a year to get Wanda to trust them after Hydra and it took them longer to convince her to talk about the experimentations. She had said that Hydra claimed her and her brother as their own. She was even scared the first months because she thought Hydra would come to get her. 

They, of course, had dismissed it because to them Hydra was dead. They had taken out Hydra. How foolish of them. 

Now the kids were paying the consequences.


	3. Know my Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who liked and comment on the story. 
> 
> As always, feel free to add any suggestions on the story or the writing itself, I'll try adding anything you suggest.  
Please comment, I love reading your comments :) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.  
:D

‘Peter?’ His body was aching, though he couldn’t tell why. He tried opening his eyes ‘No!’ Oh, he was talking to someone, he didn’t know why but he obeyed, he didn’t open his eyes, the voice, although scared sounded nice and warm. ‘Don’t open your eyes. Not yet’ The voice was in his mind, it was Wanda, now he recognized it. Everything started to make sense. ‘I’m sorry Pete’ What? Why would she be sorry? This was starting to get all too confusing, but then he remembered. They were being held captive. Shit. What Wass she sorry for, then? 

‘Wanda?’ He felt the link in the back of his mind, so he continued. ‘I’m okay. We’re okay You don’t have to be sorry, none of this is your fault’ He paused, opening his eyes. He glanced at her room, saw her how she was laying in her cell, she seemed awful. ‘Now. We need to figure where we are, who has us and more importantly how to get out’ He seemed determined. He looked directly at her, her eyes flickering some red crimson, however, it wasn’t obvious. 

‘I’m sorry Peter. You shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry they got you’

‘Wanda, what the hell are you talking about. Stop apologizing this is not your fault. This is… I don’t know where or what this is, but it’s not you’

Just then a group of men entered Wanda’s room. She kept the link open for a moment before one of the men pressed a button that made her scream in pain and abruptly close the link, returning her eyes to its natural color. 

It didn’t take long. They left the room immediately after, leaving her in agony at the floor.

It took minutes before they were entering his room all aligned with guns pointing at him, ready to shoot. 

“Nice of you to wake up. Now we can have. Nice chat” The only man without a gun said. Peter assumed he was the leader.

‘They don’t know you’re Spiderman, Pete. Don’t tell them. In any case, don’t tell them anything’

“Boss, she’s doing it again.” Said one of the many soldiers in his room. 

Wanda’s eyes were colored red, Peter figured it was due to all the pain her body was causing, the less she could hide her eye color. The man, who Peter correctly assumed was their leader, let out a sight in frustration and clicked a button on the control he was holding. Wanda screamed again, though it lasted longer until their link once again closed. 

“What are you doing to her?!” Peter screamed. Every soldier in the room tightened the grasp on their guns.

“I would watch my steps boy. You’re nice leverage to ensure her cooperation, but I will not hesitate to shoot you”

Peter stood still. 

After a moment he felt the link in his mind open again. This time he was scared. 

‘Please stop. They’ll hurt you’

‘I won’t stop. But I will promise you, I won’t get killed. I won’t leave you.’

‘Wanda-‘

‘I’ll close. Just, don’t tell them anything and don’t let them get to you. Promise?’

He was hesitant. He was now, just completely confused. What on earth was happening?

‘You have to tell me what's going on’

‘Promise’

“Boss.”

Peter didn’t even have time to register everything she Wanda was once more screaming her lungs out. 

The leader tried asking Peter some questions but he just ignored him. 

He got himself punched and kicked, but it was nothing significant. The worst part was the collar. That did hurt. But then again, they thought he was just a normal teenager not enhanced. So he would survive.

After the soldiers got tired of Peter and his ineffectiveness to answer them, they left. 

Moments after they left, Wanda opened a link with Peter. As promised, she told him where were they. That they were captured by Hydra. At that moment, it all made sense to Peter. Why she kept apologizing. She felt guilty for dragging him to Hydra, because Hydra was after her when they got captured, because hydra gave her, her powers. 

That thought brought a question to Peters mind. Wanda and Pietro had been with hydra before, and according to what she had told him, they used to talk in their minds all the time. If anything, not to go insane. 

‘How on earth did you manage to talk to your brother while in here if they keep shocking the crap out of you every god damn time you’re eyes resemble to be even the slightest red?’

‘I merged our minds. They never knew, because once our minds were merged we had one mind for the both of us’

‘Then do it. Merge our minds, Wanda. You can’t keep getting hurt’

‘I-I… Pete, if I do this. Your mind won’t be yours alone, and you’ll have to share my messed up mind. I don’t want you to…’

‘Wanda.’ He tried being as reassuring as much as his mind let him in this situation. ‘I’m not scared of you or your mind. I trust you’

That’s all she needed to hear.

“Boss!” Screamed the guard meant to keep her from using her magic. 

Immediately the collar around her neck and the chains around her wrist and ankles lit up, sending electricity that ran all over her body.

“Come on, Wanda!” The man said through the comms in her room. “You know it is going to be even more painful if you keep pulling stunts like this. Make it easy on you. I need you relatively strong for what's to come” 

Although she couldn’t see his face, she would have bet that a smile crept out in his face, and she was determined to erase it. Even if it cost her a couple of bruises along the way. 

“No worries,” She said. Showing a smile of her own “Will be the last time” As she said it, magic crawled out of her hands sending an enormous blast across the room. That was all the distraction she needed to focus on Peter’s mind and tangling it with her magic. She let her scarlet encircle them. Until the collar around her neck was once more activated. But it didn’t matter now she had done it. 

They couldn’t part them aside. 

A bunch of soldiers came to her room, all of them pointing guns at her. She just smiled directly at the figure behind them all, their boss. He could hurt them, break them, make them scream, but he could not take this away from them, and that, that, was a win in her book.

They could do anything to her know. She didn’t care. As long as they were together, they were stronger and they wouldn’t yield. Not. Just. Yet.

* * *

‘This feels so weird’ Peter thought.

‘I-I’m sorry Pete. I know it’s not what you signed up for or even not…’

‘Hey Wanda’ He cut her before she tried blaming herself, which he was one of her favorite pastimes.

‘It is not one of my favorite pastimes’

‘Wha- How did you? I didn’t tell you that!’

‘Mind Merge. You can see my mind as much as I can see yours, and that’s complete’

‘That’s so cool’

‘You’re not mad?’

‘No! But I do have one question’ He felt Wanda's thoughts for him to continue. Wow, this was weird. So he kept talking. ‘Did Pietro and you, always, well thought the same’

She let a slight chuckle in her mind. Her physical body, however, stayed still and emotionless. 

‘We learned to separate and block our minds. We had a lot of free time here in Hydra to do that. She felt Peter’s guilt when she said that, so she reassured him it was okay. It only brought the twins closer together at the end. Which led to him starting to question this ability, and if they would ever achieve that level of mastery in this mind merging thing. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll get there. I can help you. You’ll have as much as your mind as you can. After all, I have some experience to share with you’

He felt as her last words brought the pain of sadness, but he tried ignoring them. He was going to respect her feelings as much as he could. 

‘Well, I always loved the idea of having you in my head. Now its just ten-times cooler. Ned’s gonna be so jealous once we get out of here’

They both felt immense sadness. They had no idea how to get out. However, they still hoped for the avengers to come and rescue them or for Hydra to slip off enough for them to scape by their own. 

With all and all, Hydra had been surprisingly quiet with them. Yes, they came and taunt them from time to time but it was nothing serious. They got time to start understanding (mainly Peter) the holy sharing minds bit. They could access each other thoughts and memories easily, it was keeping their thoughts to their own that proved to be tricky.

However, the lack of asshole’s —after finding out, more like coming across Wanda’s thoughts, about the men in charge. Peter had decided he didn’t want to know his name so he just named him Mr. asshole, which stuck for them— presence made Wanda anxious and stressed because she knew all this quiet never meant anything good. Which caused Peter to stress.

Added to the fact that they had no way of telling time, so they just hoped it had only been a couple of hours, and the team was getting ready to rescue them.

Unaware to them. Hydra agents were scanning the place and taking their precautions to avoid having a certain group of avengers mess with what they had planned for the kids. 

Once all precautions were taken care of, they’d move on to their real intent.

* * *

It has been over two days since the kids were taken and still no word of them. Not one single clue of who had taken them or to where. No way of knowing if they were okay or what everyone had been trying to avoid thinking about, no one knew if they were still alive. 

Tony had been on his computer since the news hit. He was running all types of algorithms in hope to find even the tiniest of clues of where they are. Friday had been tasked to find and follow the footage of the last places that had been seen and the last people they had talked, as well as tracing Wanda’s magic signature, no matter how weak it is, or Peter’s webs. 

Steve was losing his mind. He talked to everyone even remotely related to the two teenagers: to the teachers that accompanied them to the trip, to Ned and MJ, to the school principal, to the person in charge of park maintenance —Of course, everything as close to the truth but not revealing things they didn’t want to reveal. 

Sam and Bucky, although were dying inside, weren’t as visibly affected. If only for the sake of the rest of the team.

Natasha was oddly silent, even for her personality. She had just destroyed at least 20 training dummies. She was sick to the stomach and the fact that she couldn’t do anything to help her kids, unless they found a lead, no matter how small.

Clint wasn’t much better. Like Natasha he was impotent, and he detested it. There wasn’t anything he could do to help. And telling the news to Laura, was even worse: his heart dropped the moment he looked at his wife. Her heart shattered into a million pieces. He couldn’t look at her in the face. 

Wanda had become as much as a daughter to Clint and Laura as Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel were. And Peter had become a nephew, their loving dorky nephew. All of a sudden, she lost them. And the idea of having to tell the kids the news broke her to no ends. How could she? Lila and Wanda were always together watching tv’s and taunting the boys, Peter and Cooper on their side loved playing in the yard with any crazy invention they came up with. Telling them that they were gone and trying to assure them that they were coming back was about the hardest thing they would ever do. Because deep down, although not wanting to feel it, Clint knew it wasn’t going to be easy to find them and when (because it was going to be a when) they did, they might not be the same.

Even SHIELD was keeping all assets in the search for the youngest avengers. Namely, Maria Hill and Nick Fury, who both had grown fond of the kids with every visit. They loved the innocence they brought to the group, despite their gloomy and dark childhood. 

“Mr. Stark, you have another call from Mrs. May Parker” Fridays voice was the only one that was kept emotionless through the chaos in the Tower. 

“Just let it ring FRIDAY,” his voice quivered and tears threatened to roll down his face “Just, just let it” His hands shaking at the touch of the table. 

“Tony we can’t keep Peter’s aunt in the dark. She has the right to know-“

“KNOW WHAT ROGERS?!” Tony turned frenetically, standing mere feet away from Steve’s face “That his nephew is still being kidnapped and we have no way of knowing if, if he's okay,” He breathed heavily before continuing shouting and spatting at the captain “or that we don’t know where he is?!” His chest was going up and down at a fast rate. And his face was tense from the shouting and probably from the tears he was no longer able of keeping back. “Oh, no. I know. Maybe we should start by telling her that for two days of searching every known Hydra base we have come empty-handed. And we are nowhere near getting our kids back”

“I know, Tony.” Was everything he said. He stood by his side quietly and still as the other man let out weak sobs. “We ARE going to get them back. They’re strong. Everything will be alright” Although he wanted to believe it, the words tasted bitter in his mouth.

* * *

‘I know it’s not my place Wanda, and I know you know Hydra better than I do. But, can you please stop trying to get yourself killed. And I say it… think it…’ Gosh, I have to get used to this ‘as your’ brother ‘friend’

‘You are my little brother Pete’ He didn’t try to argue. He knew that she meant it, hell! He considered her a sister, but then again throwing the term sister didn’t cost a lot from him who had never had a sibling before, but it cost a great deal to her, that had a brother a was killed by a sociopath robot. ‘and just for the record: I am not trying to get myself killed’

‘Well, I’m guessing we’ve only been here a few… hours?? Maybe a day?? And you’ve gotten yourself beaten more times than I can keep count of’

She sighed. Her body coming up like a ball. She was embracing herself as much as she could with all the chains around her. ‘Just let it be, Peter’

‘No!’

‘Peter. Idon’t want to…’

‘No. No more secrets, alright. No more hiding yourself, I love you and I trust you, please do the same’ 

She looked in his mind, trying to see if there were any signs of quiver or doubt, but she found none. He was serious, he did trust her. 

‘Of course, I do. Just tell me, why do you keep insisting on getting yourself killed?’

She thought for a moment, blocking out her thoughts to Peter (which for her was easy, because she had done this with Pietro before) and then decided on where to start. 

Although their bodies stayed in the same place, their minds traveled far away (courtesy of Wanda). 

They were standing infant of each other. In front of them a crowded street, they where in a market of a sort, although it didn’t exactly look sanitary. 

“Where are we?”

“We’re still in our minds, just in a memory. I figured it would be easier to talk if we were somewhere else than those damn cells if only pretend we are”

Peter looked in awe at everything around him. He didn’t recognize the place, so it must be one of Wanda’s memories.

“This is where Pietro and I grew up. Well, after our parents-“

“Sokovia”

“Yes”

They started wandering around the streets and houses. Looking at all the people surrounding them. 

“How come you’ve never done this? Put our bodies in a memory I mean”

“My mind is no place I like people walking around”

Peter nodded in understanding. “And I couldn’t do it unless we shared more than a telepathic link” She laughed after seeing how serious Peter had become. He laughed as well. 

After moments that seemed larger, given Peter’s anxiousness, he decided to break the silence.

“This is cool and everything but are you going to tell me?”

She sighed. She pulled her hands to her pockets and sat on the floor. Peter followed.

“After our parents died. Asshole-man approached us, telling us he could do everything right. Give us everything we lost and more. He offered us revenge. We were 12 at the time, with nowhere to go or no one to take care of us but each other”

“So you accepted”

Peter knew the story, she had told him parts of it and the avengers had filled in some gaps. But he didn’t want to push her into telling him something she didn’t want to. However, under the situation they were, it only seemed fair for him to do so. 

“No. Not right away anyway.

We spent a year on hour own. In the streets, begging for food and shelter, stealing and getting into trouble. We barely survived. Have it not been because that man came to us once more, we most likely would’ve died in the streets and no one would have cared”

Her voice reflected all the hatred and sadness of the memory. And that’s when it hit him. They were in her memories of Sokovia when she was a kid. Everything seemed so big and scary, but it was just 12-year-old Wanda, being afraid of death. That boiled Peter’s blood. She shouldn’t be scared of dead at 12! No kid should be. Yet here they were.

“I wonder if everything would’ve been easier if we just died. There and then”

Peter wanted to tell her no. Scream that she had everything to live for, that she wouldn’t have met him. But really, how could he. After everything that was to come for the 12-year-old, Peter could only imagine. 

“After that Hydra took us in. They were nice at first. Not a lot of torture only some mistreating. But we endured it because we had nowhere else to go.

“I guess months went by. They started showing themselves little by little. When the experimentations came. That was the time Pietro and I tried to get out. Of course, Hydra wouldn’t let us.

“It came to be that we were the only ones to survive the scepter. Strucker said something about mutant DNA, but Inever paid attention nor cared. I had more pressing matters.”

Peter sighed, as their surrounding began to change to a cell, then came back to the streets.

"When we got our parents the experimentations and torture became too much. They placed collars on us, shackles and injections. Everything to keep us docile. 

“It came to be too much. They did things, that I haven’t even told Clint or Natasha. Everything hurt. We stopped being persons, humans. We became their lab rats. Their weapons. 

“When we got out. 3 years later we were 16. That’s when we met the avengers. That’s when we promised we would never let anyone take away our humanity again. And we would be damned if Hydra could make us theirs again.”

She let a small pause before continuing.

“They hurt us. Broke us to nothing and build us to their image. I won’t let that happen again, and I won’t let that happen to you. They can hurt me, but I won’t let them make me their monster again. It cost me too much to break free the first time.

“I will not give them, him, the satisfaction of knowing they have gotten to me. And I will not be their peon once more. If only to honor Pietro’s death and suffering”

They stayed silent for a moment. Peter let sink in everything she had told him. He stopped to think for a moment of clarity.

“We won’t let them have the satisfaction of getting to us. We will fight together in this.”

Wanda looked up in shock, she had not excepted for Peter to stand with her in this fight. But then again, she hadn’t expected anything.

“We are in this together. Like brothers” he said.

She smiled. 

They hugged each other. Grasping into one another. Although the hug wasn’t complete, it was their consciousness, not their actual bodies.

They lost track of time until their minds were dragged back to their physical bodies in immense pain.

It stopped. Out of the speakers in their rooms, they heard the voice of captain asshole.

“I hope you enjoyed your vacations. Because the party is just starting and we are eager to have you as our guests”


	4. We're just kids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!  
Sorry for the long wait. I hope the chapter is worth the time.  
But really, sorry. I meant to finish the chapter sooner but school just didn't let me.
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for the amazing comments. I love reading them and they are truly the inspiration I take to keep writing.   
Hope you enjoy.  
:)

After the battle of Sokovia

It has been two weeks since Pietro’s dead.

The avengers had been kind to her, despite knowing that Ultron was as much of her fault as it was Tony’s. However, they keep their distance. Granted, they have given her her own room in the tower and they were even kind enough to set a proper funeral for her brother (it was also because Clint felt responsible for his death). Yet, they didn’t talk to her unless it was necessary and limited all types of interactions to the minimum. She didn’t blame them. She had gotten into their minds and she had used their worst fears against them. She would also hate herself in their position, hell! She hated Hydra for doing the same thing she’d done to the avengers.

So, she decided it was time to leave.

She took what little belongings she had and flew the tower in the middle of the day. The avengers were in some kind of meeting (she didn’t understand it), so she just left a note on her bed, not top disturb them.

* * *

The meeting was almost over. They had discussed a planned strategy to try and locate Banner, or more like the Hulk. And have all agreed on letting Vision go with Thor to Asgard.

“Finally. One last thing before we go” said Tony as the rest of the team looked waiting for him to continue “Maximoff”

“What about her?” Asked Clint and Natasha in almost a protective tone

“Yees. Relax. I was just going to say we need to do something”

“Something like what Stark?” The overprotectiveness continued from Clint

“I mean. We don’t know anything about her. We only know what she has slipped up and it isn’t much. If we want to help her we need to know her”

“Tony is right. I think 2 weeks are long enough for us to give her some distance. I think we need to get involved. For my guess, I think she’s not older than 21. Barley an adult, she needs to have someone to lean on.”

“I agree with Steve she is young, I mean we are all over 30’s and my pals here are a little over a 100” Sam pointed at Steve and Bucky, the latter groaned at Sam bitterly “And we all need someone to lean on. We should at least try to get to know her”

“It’s not going to be easy tho” Nat pointed out

“Well no shit sherlock.” Nat glared at Tony, who flashed a smile at her and continued “But I think 2 weeks of space is not healthy.”

“Okay. So it’s settled. We try getting to know her tonight. See how we can help” Everyone nodded. They were all ready to go when Tony spoke for the last time.

“So how old do you think she is. My bet is 20”

Sam thought of it as the perfect opportunity to rob some money from Stark “21”

“No, way. She has to be 20”

“I have to say. I’m with Sam on this one. She acts old enough, though, she does look young”

“Okay cap, we only wanted a number”

Nat and Clint were the only ones to abstain from betting.

* * *

All the avengers were gathered in the kitchen, talking and laughing. They had been waiting on Wanda for at least an hour. As Tony had said, she will eventually come, no need hover her to dinner. 

Another hour went by when Tony started to get anxious.

“Okay, I know it was my idea. But, I think someone needs to go get her”

“I’ll go.” Volunteered Clint. He didn’t give anyone the chance to say no when he was already on his way out.

He came back a little agitated and with no Wanda.

“Clint. I know you’re an old man. But you were supposed to get Wanda”

Clint just stared at the man.

“What is it?” Natasha’s voice sounded cold.

“She left. She left and she just left a note”

“What do you mean she left. Where? Does she even know where to go? Does she have a place to go? Or-“

“Barton?” Natasha spoke quietly

“She wrote: thank you for all your hospitality and not letting her on the streets. Something about being ready to go and not bothering us. She was sorry for messing with our minds and stop being a bother… Guy’s what did we do?”

“What do you mean?” Asked Rhodey concerned.

“We thought that we were giving her space when in reality we shut her out”

“We need to get her back. Talk to her”

“I don’t think she wants back, Clint”

“So what we just leave her in the streets?”

“Of course not!” Cut Tony and Natasha together “Friday, search Wanda Maximoff. Get her location.”

“I think she’s old enough to decide if she doesn’t want to be with us,” Cap said to her defense

“With all respect. I don’t think she knows what she’s doing. She may be old enough. But she’s still new to all this. Especially, since this is not her country” Clint answered a little too angry

“Sir, I just found Ms. Maximoff. She’s in an alley. And she seems to be experiencing a panic attack”

“You were saying” Was all Tony could say. Steve looked down, they were right she needed help.

* * *

After they found her, brought her back to the tower, and set her in the living room everyone gathered around her. They were done with subtleties.

So they started asking her questions that started in _‘are you okay?’ ‘You know you can trust us, right?’ ‘We don’t hate you Wanda’ _but were not so lucky in getting anything from her. A nod here and there, but not much.

“Wanda, why did you leave?” It was a simple question. But it took ages for Wanda to answer the spy.

“I know you hate me. So it thought it would be easier for everyone’s sake if I just left”

They all stared at her in shock.

It was Natasha who broke the silence

“We don’t hate you. You’ve done something bad, and you helped us fix it. Everyone in this room has done things we are not proud of. We still help each other and we still fight. We were wrong to try and give you space. Just let us help you go through things and if after a while you still want to leave. We won’t stop you”

Wanda just nodded at her. Tears forming in her eyes.

It took several long minutes before someone spoke again. They continued to ask her questions. Some along the lines of _‘Where are you from?’ ‘When did you got into Hydra?’ ‘Have you ever been out of Sokovia?’_

“I don’t want to talk about it” Was her only response.

“You have to tell us something here Maximoff,” Said Tony almost playfully, if only to relieve the tension in the room. She stared at a very interesting point on the floor.

“At least tell us this” Clint started and Wanda nodded. She just wanted them off her back. Whatever the question was, she would answer. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen” The room went deadly silent.

She looked up from the floor to see a group of very horrified avengers.

“You’re just a child” Steve stated.

At that moment she knew it was a mistake. Everything was going to change. They were going to be on her back, hovering all the time.

And she wouldn’t take it. So she ran. She ran to her room and locked herself up.

She was right though, it was a changer.

“he was just a kid” Clint stated. His face went white. A kid had sacrificed his life for his.

“Clint, look at me.” Natasha tried making the spy react “Look at me. She needs us”

“I know”

“Getting her to trust us is not going to be easy. Especially not because all her life she’s only known Hydra or the streets. Because she’s just a kid.

“She needs a family… We are going to be her family and I’ll be damned if anything happens to her ever again.” Nat told Clint.

“We’ll help her.. We’ll help her” He reassured her, but it also helped to reassure his own feelings.

The whole team nodded.

* * *

Current time

They took her into a different room, which terrified the living crap out of both of them.

By this point, Peter had already learned how to separate Wanda’s mind form his own. Wanda on her side did just fine, having all those years of practice with Pietro. Of course, Wanda helped Peter control his thoughts and she promised he would eventually master it like second nature, and they would have a mind of their own. Though, they would also, always have someone to be with. Not be alone. And that promise seemed to be enough for Peter.

So when they dragged Wanda to a different room, she had to try hard to keep Peter from merging all their thoughts and emotions. Mainly, because she knew what was to come was not going to be pretty, therefore she didn’t want Peter to suffer.

Though hydra had other plans.

They loose the restrains form Wanda’s arms and ankles, however, they did leave the shock collar around her neck. Which was enough to keep her in line, that thing could shock her cold if they wanted to.

Peter on his end, could only see terrified as she left the room. All the banging at the glass and screaming did nothing to stop the hydra agents.

The room they let her to was empty. Some weird lights dimmed the room, and the walls were covered by some sort of machines that lit small red lights, but other than that it was empty.

The pushed Wanda into the room and shut the door closed from the other side. She hadn’t eaten a lot so her balance was a little off and went straight to the floor. She didn’t try to stand back up, she knew whatever was to come, she needed the strength.

One of the walls (without all the machinery) light up revealing a room full of hydra agents and scientist in white ropes, computers, and equipment she couldn’t recognize.

Peter’s thoughts were rising out of control, so she focused herself in telling him everything was fine and to relax. She wasn’t going to leave him, but she did need to focus on the situation at hand. Peter tried relaxing, draping his body to the floor, his back against the glass door that connected his and her room. He stayed calm, or as calm as he would get.

Wanda thanked him just in time as a voice filled the silence in the room they had placed her.

“Okay witch. You can help us and comply, be a good girl, make this easy on yourself or we,” he paused, the man who was speaking came forward from the other side of the glass and smiled “can make this a living hell for you. Your choice, really”

Wanda looked at the man behind the glass, he wasn’t but a hydra agent, he wasn’t worth her time, he wasn’t HIM. So she just looked at the man.

“Okay, suit yourself”

She didn’t know what to expect, but she wasn’t going to let them know she was scared… no, terrified…. She was going to stand her ground against anything.

The man from behind the glass made a sign for a team of 3 soldiers to follow him, they left the room and were in her’s in seconds. She didn’t move. She was strong.

Then HIS voice.

“Make a force field for us. That simple. A big one”

She stared at him through the glass, in amazement. Things were never easy, she learned that. It wasn’t uncommon for Hydra to ask her to use her powers — well, the ones they could force out of her (force fields, telekinesis, energy blasts, psionic energy, and levitation), the ones they could never force her to do were the one involving mental manipulation or telekinesis — they used to test Pietro’s and her power’s. See how much of an asset they could be, learn their weaknesses, use them for something else, learn how to control them.

She was expecting for them to do this, but still, she hoped she could keep her powers her own, after all, Hydra is the reason she is so afraid of her powers; with her powers hydra had been able to create weapons powerful enough to defeat the avengers (she and Pietro had taken those away when they escaped and destroyed them), because of her powers hydra had knowledge on how to become stronger, invincible, because of her powers hydra destroyed, tortured and killed people. She wasn’t going to let her powers hurt anyone else.

She stood. Ignoring the abrupt movements from the soldiers around her. She walked closer to the glass separating the two of them.

“Not in the mood. Sorry”

He just laughed.

He was hoping she’d say it.

“You will make a force field. You just need a little persuasion”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw as one of the soldiers approached, ready to hit her. She avoided his fist by a hair. But he kept going. She was going to fight back, but something told her that the strange machinery around her was meant to measure her powers, so she abstained from using them. Resorting to only avoiding the hits.

Of course, it didn’t last, as the other soldiers joined in, throwing punches at her.

The first one hit her right on the ribs. After that one, it was punch after punch after kick. She felt their elbows hitting her face, her ribs, her stomach. She felt their knees hurting her body. She felt their feet everywhere.

But she didn't give.

* * *

Peter felt strong emotions coming from Wanda. It was something he couldn’t place, but he felt the need to cry and scream and fight. His body was telling him to fight, to run to hit back. And he didn’t understand it.

He just wanted to be home. He just wanted to be back in the avengers' towers. He wanted Wanda. He wanted to fight. He wanted Wanda to fight. But he knew it was useless, he was useless, and there was nothing he could do.

* * *

It was after 15 minutes that captain asshole called them off. After all, they needed her alive. She was bloodied from head to toes, crying from all the pain.

Her powers were screaming to get out, but she couldn’t let hydra have them.

She felt Peter anxiety spike up, yet she couldn’t find the strength to calm him.

It felt like an eternity when a new group of hydra agents entered the room.

“Second chance Wanda. You can stop the pain, have some peace till next time we need you or I can let my boys have fun”

She looked at the glass, her mouth was quicker than her mind and body that was screaming for this to stop. “Do your worst” She didn’t even finish when she felt a stabbing pain in her arm, a cold hit in her stomach and someone’s fist in her face.

Hydra wasn’t stupid. They could beat someone for 24 hours straight and yet they wouldn’t kill them. They knew the most painful zones to inflict pain and pressure and the places to avoid.

So she was just left with the intense pain and impotence of not being able to do anything.

It was after 2 hours or so, that asshole-man was starting to get restless. She was getting on his nerves.

Her lack of self-preservation just infuriated him, which was the only thing that brought hope to her mind in those moments.

However, they still had one more card under their sleeve.

* * *

Wanda was laying dumb on the floor. She couldn’t feel herself. All she felt was intense pain, heat running through her body as if a million bees were pricking through her skin and her veins.

And then she saw him.

A bunch of hydra agents were circling Peter, guns pointed at him. They entered the room.

“Wanda! Wanda! Are you okay?” He ran to her side, just as quickly as he could loosen the grip of the soldier holding him. “Wanda, look at me. Answer me. C’mon! Wanda!” He grabbed her shoulders, moving her as strongly as his weaken limbs let him. The hydra agents that had pulled him out of his room, had overdone their punches when he tried to fight them.

“Don’t waste your time,” The asshole step inside the room, grabbing Peter by the shoulders. He quickly moved away from the man’s touch, covering Wanda with his body. He grabbed Peter’s shoulder harder this time. Nonetheless, the boy moved away holding Wanda closer and tighter. The girl in question could just see in terror at Peter.

He shouldn’t be here. She thought. He shouldn’t see her like this.

The soldier pulled a stick, that immediately ignited into sparks of electricity that flowed rhythmically.

He pressed it in Peter’s back. The boy cried in pain, however that did nothing to keep him from pulling away from the girl. This just served to further anger the man who pulled a second stick from his belt. He pressed both sticks at his back, to no use, as the boy seemed to only hold her tighter.

‘Peter stop!’ She shouted in their heads. ‘Let go!’

‘No, you said we would fight. We’re fighting’

‘Peter! Let. Go. Of. ME!’

The man continued to burn and electrocute until, the shouts, the pain, and the crying stopped altogether, as the boy was sent to the ground by Wanda.

Peter was patting.

He was grateful the pain had stopped, but he wasn’t all that happy that it had stopped because Wanda had stepped in to protect him. He would be okay with this, had she not got hit for helping him.

Asshole stepped in front of them. Made a motion for a soldier to drag Peter away from her, to the other end of the room.

“No, no, no” He knelt to grab her jaw, forcing her to look to his face. She spit him, which only infuriated him. He let her collar spark electricity for seconds, hearing her screams, before continuing.

“You see, we need you to do a force field for us.” She was exhausted from all the beating, and shock collar. Even if she wanted to do a force field, she didn’t have the strength to do it “And if you don’t care about yourself enough to do it. Maybe you’ll care for that one” He pointed at Peter.

She got scared. Peter too, looked terrified.

“Do you?” He asked.

She looked directly at Peter. Their eyes locked for a moment.

‘Don’t. I can handle it. They don’t know I heal fast’

‘Peter, please fight’

‘I will’

Asshole gave the order for some of his men to watch Wanda before she got any funny ideas. The other part of their man approached Peter.

They all had sticks, similar to the one, the soldier had used on Peter when he had tried to protect Wanda.

Peter punched the first man, but his limbs betrayed him as one of the sticks made contact with his leg.

He screamed. It was an agonizing scream.

Wanda tried getting up and running towards him, but a man stopped her and pinned her to the wall.

“Please, stop! He hasn’t done anything to you. He’s just a kid!” She screamed.

“Only you can stop it. Just make a force field Wanda”

‘No. Don’t’

“STOP!”

Peter continued to shout in pain. As the men started hitting him. One of the men grabbed his arms behind his back, and pulled him up, as the other one hit him in the stomach, chest, face…

Wanda continued to scream and beg. She didn’t care that she sounded weak. It was Peter they were hurting, not her. Tears ran down her face. Her body fighting to get to him. She was in no shape to fight, she knew that. But she still tried.

Peter on his end, was trying really hard not to scream. Not to grunt in pain. He was trying to stay strong, but every hit and punch was breaking him.

He could listen to Wanda’s screams, but they seemed so far away. They seemed so distant. But he wouldn’t give up.

* * *

An hour past and the kids hadn’t yield yet.

The soldiers were starting to get frustrated and they took it out on Peter. That was until asshole came annoyed to the room.

“I get you don’t care about yourself. But him... I was expecting him to be useful”

Wanda had stopped shouting, her head down, looking at the floor in defeat, her eyes red and tired from crying. Until she heard asshole pull something from his belt. She looked up.

The men with Peter stopped and pulled away. Leaving him on the floor.

Asshole held a gun in his hand. Panic ran through her veins as she once more started fighting, trying to get the men holding her to let her go.

“Well, I guess I thought wrong” he pointed the gun at Peter “If he doesn’t ensure your cooperation, then he is useless”

“No, please stop”

“Too late Wanda. You didn’t help him, now it’s just too late”

Peter looked at the scene. To hurt and tired from the beating to do anything. He was scared, he didn’t want to die. But if he was going to do so, at least he didn’t want Wanda to feel responsible.

‘Wanda, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself’

Wanda started to cry and beg.

He fired the shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and review anything you'd want to see happen, any feedback you have or just in general. I love reading the comments.   
I'll try and post the next chapter faster or at least, this week.   
=D


	5. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I'm sorry for the late update. But things came up and school had me all tired and I had a severe writer's block.   
Nevertheless, here I am. Somehow, not dead from exhaustion.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.   
I will be posting the next chapter tomorrow or the next afterwards at tops. It's halfway done, just need some details. So please don't hate me.   
=)

“Sir, I have scanned the power signature of Ms. Maximoff.”

Tony bolt out of his chair in his lab. He was dizzy from the sudden movement (the lack of sleep and food didn’t help either) but he didn’t care. Nor did he believed his ears, it had been over 3 days maybe 4, from when the children had gone missing.

“Repeat that Friday”

“I found a trace of Ms. Maximoff power signature, it seems she just recently used it on a large scale”

“Alert the rest of the team, send me the coordinates to my suit and don’t lose the trace of that location or her signature. Enter the surveillance cameras around that area, I want eyes on that place”

“On it sir.” Came the voice of the AI.

Tony ran through the building up to the helicopter space where he quickly suit-up and flight off to the location Friday had just send him. He knew he should’ve waited for the team, but he couldn’t risk not being there in time for the kids and he also knew the team would think the same way. Plus, they would all take the plane, which was just as fast as his suit, maybe a little slower but still rapid enough.

He landed on the site, just a mile away. There was a tall impotent building right in front, it was dark a rusty. It didn’t seem lived on. However, all sense of rational sense was lost in him.

He made a quick scan around the place, looking for a heat signature of any kind. He found a couple of heat signatures, but they weren’t big enough for them to be the kids. He didn’t lose hope though.

He flew around the building, trying to be as stealthy as possible, just trying to locate exits, windows, doors and anything that would be useful.

He was about to barge into the building when he heard the voice of Clint over the coms. “Stark, where are you? We’re just landing. Tell me you have eyes on the kids.”

“Was just going to kick some sorry hydra agents, thought you’d like to come” He heard Clint’s voice break at the end of his sentence, but he couldn’t let him give up just yet. They needed to fight, for the kids.

The avengers entered the building. Everyone was up ready for a fight.

They scattered around in search of the kids, or at least the source of where Wanda had used her powers.

It took them about an hour to completely scan the whole place. It wasn’t a big building, but it wasn’t a one-floor place either.

Everyone joined in the middle floor, when completely sure they hadn’t missed anything.

There was nothing nor no one, around. No hydra agent, no men ready to fight them, no Wanda and no Peter.

“What the heck Stark! You said they were here. You said FRIDAY found something!”

“I DID!” Tony shouted back in frustration “What?! Do you think I just like taking tours to abandoned buildings?! I want them back as much as you do, so fuck the hell off, Barton”

Steve just looked at the two men. He knew they were frustrated, but he couldn’t bring himself to peace the two of them when he was feeling blue himself.

Natasha was on the verge of tears, which surprised even her. The kids had truly grown on her, how on earth did she go back on her promise to protect them! She promised Wanda hydra wouldn’t touch her ever again, yet here they were again.

She strode to the nearest wall and punched it. To her surprise, and everyone's surprise, the wall broke. She was a small woman, and as deadly as she was, she couldn’t be able to break a wall.

As they gathered around, a computer flashed on the other side of the hidden room. A mechanical voice rang through it.

_Hello Avengers._

_I’m sorry I couldn’t quite make it to our little meeting. You see, I’m a little busy making my newest guests comfortable. I have to say, they’re quite the job._

Natasha felt her blood boiled in anger.

_Anyway. I just wanted to let you know, out of courtesy, of course. That our little lab rat is back where she belongs. We’re not thankful for the years she stayed with you, not the greatest influence on her… but you know, gotta deal with what we got._

_Farewell avengers._

_Hear, that if you try making a move to rescue her you’ll only go tracing your tales._

_And if anything goes wrong we have an insurance policy in place._

Just as the machine completed reading the text, two images appeared on the screen.

And boy! Did they not want to see those images.

The images showed an unconscious Peter and an unconscious Wanda, or at least the avengers hoped they were unconscious. Both of them badly hurt, bloodied from head to toes, with some nasty bruises along their body (mostly the face from what they could see).

Clint couldn’t bare the shot. The room seemed as if it was deprived of oxygen. He walked away from the room into the open space outside the tower, he tried breathing and composing himself. It didn’t work.

_Be warned, if you come close to us. We won’t let the witch walk away again. As for the boy, he is disposable at any sign of your presence. He’s here because the avengers wouldn’t dare hurt an innocent standby for the sake of a team-mate. Now, would they?_

The transmission cut and the computer went back to black.

The whole team was left unable to do anything. Each one of them felt as their blood was boiling up in anger and frustration. But their bodies were still. They couldn’t bring themselves to move or breath. Hell, Tony’s body forgot how to breath and Rhodes had to help him out of the building and into the jet for an oxygen tank.

He later returned with a USB to get all the information out of that computer as they could.

Halfway back to the tower most of the team had managed to compose themselves. Or at least, they learned how to breathe again.

“What are you going to tell Laura?” Natasha knew that Clint had promised to tell Laura any news about the kids. When they got the call from Stark she assumed the former spy would’ve told Laura that they had a possible location on the kids. Now that they were going home empty-handed, he would need to tell Laura and the kids, that the 2 youngest avengers were no-where to be found. And on top of that, that Hydra was playing them like fools, making them chase dead ends.

“Nothing” Was the single response that she got.

“Clint, I know it’s hard but you can’t keep her waiting in the hope that won’t come”

“I know Nat” He paused for a moment, he turned to look directly into the woman’s eyes. “I- I didn’t tell her we were coming, I didn’t tell her we had a lead. I didn’t want to bring her hopes up. Didn’t want to let the kids down again” He buried his face on her shoulder. He started to cry, he couldn’t help himself. And she couldn’t blame him. It was too much.

“You know” He tried to compose himself. Although he didn’t mind looking vulnerable when with Natasha. “They look up to her. She’s their hero, mostly Lila’s.” He stopped, to look out the window. “Peter is just as big of their hero. They are happy and close and they are family. They are Nathaniel, Lila and Cooper’s brother and sister…. And-and I couldn’t protect my family”

“Cli-“

“I couldn’t protect my kid”

“We couldn’t protect our kids. And that’s something we’re going to have to live with. But we can’t stop. We need to find them. We need to save them”

* * *

“They have taken the bait. Face one was an exit. We can move on to the next step”

“Perfect. Now, patch her up. We need her strength”

The soldier left the room. The man turned his gaze to the video of the cameras that showed two slumped bodies chained to the floor. Either of them moving.

* * *

The Barton’s farm

“Cooper Barton!” Laura wasn’t one to normally scream to her kids, however, the last couple of days haven’t been what you call normal. “Why on earth is your teacher calling to the house about my kid punching another kid in the face? What have we talked about?”

Cooper's face was staring at a very interesting spot on the floor. While Lila was trying to cautiously get out of the room.

“And don’t you dare try and sneak out of here, young lady. You’re not innocent either according to your teacher” Lila’s failed attempt to go directly to her room was cut short by her mother.

“I’m waiting,” She said as she looked at her children in front of her.

“I’m sorry, mom.” They said in unison

“Well, sorry won’t cut it,” She said as she placed herself to sit in one of the couches in the living room. “Why on earth would you hit someone and why would you provoke your brother to hit someone?”

The kids stayed quiet for a moment.

“I’m waiting. And we’re not leaving until you give me an explanation”

A couple more minutes passed. Laura kept looking straight at them. While Copper and Lila were avoiding any visual contact with their mother.

“He said my science project was stupid” Cooper finally yield.

“And that's why you punched him? Cooper Barton. Are you really telling me that someone mocking your project is enough to punch them? What about using your words?”

“But he did mom” It was Lila who defended her brother. “He tried telling Chad that he didn’t care, but then the boy came closer and he’s bigger and stronger than Cooper and…”

“He dropped my project and started braking it. He said it was stupid because I tried to replicate a scale replica of the avengers' newest aircraft.”

“So I told the guy that Cooper’s replica could fly just as well, so he shouldn’t be mocking him. But he didn’t stop making fun of the aircraft and he broke it”

Laura took a few breaths. The kids had a point, but still, it was no excuse for punching someone in the face. “Why didn’t you go to the principal office or a teacher?”

“Because…” Cooper tried to answer, but he didn’t know how to put it into words.

“He said Cooper and whoever helped him were idiots if they thought that plane would ever fly”

And then it hit her. Laura knew perfectly well who had helped Cooper build his science project. Peter. Peter had come with Wanda almost every free school-day and weekend to help Cooper with his science project. The kids had been so invested in their project, the house was quiet for hours during the day (which normally never happened).

“Cooper, honey” She tried to sound as calm and attentive as she could. “Did you punch Chad because he called Peter an idiot? Or because he reminded you of Peter?” The boy simply looked at the floor.

3 days ago, his father had come and told them that Peter and Wanda were in trouble and they wouldn’t be coming for an unlimited time- period.

Of, course they both knew he was hiding something from them. So they waited late that night and eavesdropped their parents' conversation. They heard how they had been captured ‘presumably’ by Hydra and how the avengers didn’t have a clue of where on earth they could be. This was scary enough for the kids, but they certainly didn’t want to hear what was next.

Their mother burst into tears. As their father continued to narrate the events.

When he finished telling Laura about their capture, he was on the verge of tears.

“Laura…” The kids stepped closer to the door. “I’m afraid we won’t find them in time.”

The kids didn’t quite understand this part. What on earth did he mean by it?

“Hydra has already lost to the Maximoff twins. What if their intentions are not to recruit her back but to… what if they kill them? What will-“

And the kids burst into the room at those words, cutting their father line of though and running directly to their mother's arms.

“Peter was supposed to be there for my presentation. We even made Wanda promise that she would make the plane fly and do cool tricks if our engine wasn’t powerful enough” The boy was crying “He promised”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it or at least didn't absolutely hate it.  
Please comment I'd like to hear any feedback you have to give me and try to improve my work.


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